Mitsuru Izumo (出雲 充), founder of euglena, which uses microalgae, discussed in an interview why the company aims to reach sales of ¥100 billion, drawing on his university experiences, as well as its current business areas and growth strategy. This is a summary of the interview.
During the summer of his first year at university, Mitsuru Izumo (出雲 充) visited Bangladesh, where he saw malnourished children firsthand and began pursuing the use of euglena to address nutritional challenges. He was aware that although the microalgae contain abundant nutrients, large-scale cultivation presents difficulties, including the growth of contaminants.
Founded in 2005, euglena obtained an investment from ITOCHU Corporation in May 2008, expanding sales support and partnerships with major companies. It grew its business by collaborating with other companies through open innovation and using those collaborations to create new businesses. Its current business areas include food, supplements and biofuels.
Mitsuru Izumo (出雲 充) expects consolidated sales for the fiscal year ending December 2025 to be approximately ¥50.4 billion and indicated that the company aims to reach sales of around ¥100 billion in the future through businesses such as biofuels. He said that linking the expansion of sales to social impact is a particular focus of venture management.
Comparing his experiences in Japan and Bangladesh, he discussed the importance of taking on challenges with young people in Japan, as well as the importance of innovation through creating opportunities for people from different industries to interact and of finding a subject one can become absorbed in and continuing to pursue it.